September 22, 2006

Just Shut Up and Sing Retire

I have no idea why people would be interested in the political views of a 40-something entertainer who wears sequined leotards on stage, but apparently Madonna thinks she's still relevant enough to make some sort of statement with her little crucifixion act. For some reason, though, her defense of this act reminds me of that used by the klan to defend their cross-burnings:

Madonna, in a statement made as the "Confessions Tour" ended in Japan on Thursday, said: "There seems to be many misinterpretations about my appearance on the cross and I wanted to explain it myself once and for all.

"It is no different than a person wearing a cross or 'taking up the cross' as it says in the Bible. My performance is neither anti-Christian, sacrilegious or blasphemous. Rather, it is my plea to the audience to encourage mankind to help one another and to see the world as a unified whole."

She added, "I believe in my heart that if Jesus were alive today he would be doing the same thing."

In her statement, Madonna said the specific intent of the scene was "to bring attention to the millions of children in Africa who are dying every day (or) are living without care, without medicine and without hope. I am asking people to open their hearts and minds to get involved in whatever way they can." [SoT: WTF is she talking about?]

Okay, so the klan wasn't into the whole "unified whole" thing, but for her to say that her routine, one that a majority of Christians see as wholly blasphemous, is a plea for action, that's very klan-like. Personally, I don't give a flying fudge what she does on a cross, but I do find it pretty hilarious that a woman who has made a career out of goading the Catholic church can claim this latest stunt isn't sacrilegious.